No Secrets Here leads charge for Jones

Four-time defending national champion trainer Paul Jones is primed for a lucrative weekend with fastest qualifier No Secrets Here in the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity, six qualifiers to the Grade 1, $389,908 All American Derby, and Wave Carver leading Jones's qualifiers in the Grade 1, $228,950 Golden State Derby.

Sunday's All American Derby and Monday's All American Futurity, each at 440 yards, are at Ruidoso Downs. The 400-yard Golden State Derby is Saturday at Los Alamitos.

No Secrets Here would give Jones his second straight All American Futurity win after he sent out Teller Cartel to win his maiden in the 2005 All American Futurity.

The credentials of No Secrets Here are superior to Teller Cartel's going into the All American Futurity. Teller Cartel was winless, while No Secrets Here was a late-running third in the 350-yard, Grade 1 Ed Burke Million at Los Alamitos. He also raced to the fastest qualifying time from 17 trials to the All American Futurity in his only Ruidoso Downs start.

No Secrets Here drew out to win his 440-yard All American Futurity trial by one length in 21.044 seconds.

"I expected him to run well in the trials," said Jones. "He's the one I liked the best of my horses in the trials. He was gaining in the Ed Burke and would have been second in another jump."

While No Secrets Here is the fastest qualifier, he may not be the All American Futurity favorite.

Okey Dokey Fantasy is undefeated from eight starts and has three futurity wins, including two Grade 1's.

Also in the All American Futurity are two of New Mexico-breds with the second- and third-fastest qualifying times, Gun Battle and Mightys First Call. Zia Futurity winner Gun Battle won his All American Futurity trial by over five lengths, and Mightys First Call was second to Gun Battle in the Zia Futurity.

In the All American Derby, Strawkins - who set the 440-yard track record while winning the Grade 1, $269,000 Rainbow Derby - is trying to rebound after a third-place finish in his trial over a sloppy track.

"He didn't like the wet track," said Jones. "He was fortunate to qualify and is bouncing back well."

Strawkins, a gelding, has won 10 of 14 starts with stakes wins at four different tracks. His derby trial defeat was his first Ruidoso Downs setback after four wins there. He won the Bayer Legend New Mexico Derby Challenge, and raced 440 yards in 20.736 seconds to win the Rainbow Derby in track-record time in his start before the All American Derby trials.

The other Jones qualifiers, who each have Grade 1 experience, are First Wicked Lady, Ketel Won, Kelowna Kash, In Dispute, and Separate Tac.

There is a New Mexico-bred influence in the All American Derby, with statebred Arealstraitheart racing to a fastest qualifying win in the trials. He won his trial in 21.350 seconds for his seventh win from 10 starts. He has two stakes wins against New Mexico-breds and was second to Teller Cartel in the 2005 All American Futurity.

The All American Derby winner receives an invitation to compete in the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 9 at Los Alamitos.

Golden State Derby favorite Wave Carver is blossoming this summer, with three straight wins after returning from a nearly five-month layoff. He won the Governor's Cup Derby by 1 1/2 lengths and then rolled to a length win in his Golden State Derby trial in 19.625 seconds for 400 yards, the fastest qualifying time.

"He's been awesome," said Jones. "He's grown up and matured. He's a horse now."